Panel discussion at NC State

Next Monday, Feb. 5, I will be a guest panelist during North Carolina State's Darfur Awareness Week. This week of activities includes a showing of "Darfur Diaries," the panel discussions and a keynote speech by NY Times columnist Nicholas Kristof.

Below is the press release:

"North Carolina State University will host guest speaker Nicholas D. Kristof, Tuesday, February 6 at 7:30 PM in Nelson Auditorium (Room 3400). Kristof is a New York Times columnist and Pulitzer Prize winning author. His talk will be entitled “The First Genocide of the 21st Century: Report on Darfur.” This event is free and open to the public. Parking is available at the nearby Dan Allen Parking Deck.

Mr. Kristof began writing for the New York Times in 1984. In 1990 he and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, also a Times journalist, won a Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of China’s Tiananmen Square democracy movement. In 2006 Kristof won a second Pulitzer Prize for commentary. He is generally credited with bringing the Darfur tragedy to the attention of the America public. Kristof has lived on four continents and traveled to over 120 countries. During his travels, he has had unpleasant experiences with malaria, wars, an Indonesian mob carrying heads on pikes, and an African plane crash.

NC State will host a “Darfur Awareness Week” from Tuesday, January 30 until Tuesday, January 6. Fundraising will be done during this week for the Save Darfur Coalition. Donations can be made from 10AM - 2PM at the NC State brickyard.. Cash and check donations will be accepted. Willing donors can also contribute via credit card at: . Every penny helps.

On Thursday, February 1, the award winning documentary, Darfur Diaries, will be shown in the Erdahl-Cloyd Theater in D.H. Hill Library at 7:30 PM. The film will be followed by a short discussion led by Professor Anna Bigelow, Department of Philosophy and Religion. This event is free and open to the public.

On Monday, February 5, there will be a panel discussion, “Perspectives on the Darfur Crisis,” starting at 7:30 PM in Withers Room 232-A. Panelists will include Professor Andrew Reynolds, Department of Political Science, UNC-Chapel Hill; Haywood Rankin, U.S. Diplomat; hydrogeologist Mansour Malik; and Darfur activist Scott Sutton. The panel will be moderated by Professor Craig Brookins, Director of Africana Studies, NC State. This event is free and open to the public.

These events are made possible with the help of the School of Public and International Affairs, NC State University, the Park Scholarships Program, NC State University, and the Political Science Club, NC State University."

If you are in the area, please support these students and these events.

Thanks,
Scott

A small step for the AU, one giant leap for my friends...

This week, the African Union denied Sudan the priviledge of being the AU's leader for this upcoming year. This comes after Sudan had unofficially been promised the position last year. All eyes were on the AU to see what they would do and thankfully they made a smart decision.

To put Sudan in charge of the AU (who in turn is in charge of protecting the Darfur civilians being killed by the Sudan governement) would be like electing the head of the mafia to be the town's police chief. Or like nominating Osama Bin Laden to be the Chief Judge on the Human Rights Tribunal. Placing a dictator/chief of state (you pick) whose regime is actively and passively supporting the calculated extermination of its own people in charge of a peacekeeping organization would be disaster.

The AU is a fledgling organization, which in my opinion, holds the best hope for Africa's future. The only way it will ever have the influence and credibility needed to unite Africa, rebuild Africa and move Africa forward is if it takes a firm stance on Darfur. The AU must lead the charge against genocide, proving Africans are capable of caring for their own brothers and sisters and are committed to ending the war.

The road ahead in Darfur is long and difficult for the AU, but by denying Sudan the presidency, it made sure at least it stayed on the right path for now. This small gesture by the AU now will have a huge in the future.